BABY & TODDLER PROGRAM

Dance & Sing with Me (12-18 months with caregiver) Babies, along with their caregiver, sing, dance and laugh while meeting new friends. Rhythmic fun in movement and music will have children bouncing, sliding, crawling and hopping while singing songs that explore hellos and goodbyes, space and body parts. Instruments, scarves, hoops and tunnels are used to create a stimulating and structured environment that explores the endless possibilities of movement and music. These classes are a great alternative to the playground.

Family Dance (18 months-3.5 years with parent or caregiver) This great family event provides an informal creative dance experience for you and your child or the whole family. Come take off your shoes and join the dance floor as the instructor leads you through explorations of space, force, and time with your bodies, scarves, hula hoops and other fun objects.

Music & Movement (18 months-30 months with caregiver) Movement, rhythm and singing combine to stimulate toddlers' imagination!  This class promotes interaction, increases spatial and body awareness and teaches basic classroom skills. Toddlers learn how to wiggle, gallop, clap, shake and slide in a group setting.  Explore movement with your child using scarves, hula hoops and other fun objects.

Nearly 3 (ages 2 1/2-3 1/2 with caregiver) This is an introduction to creative movement for toddlers with parent or caregiver. Movement activities include story dances, working with props, and rhythmic games. Children will develop their social skills while learning new ways to locomote through space and improvise movement. Child and caregiver will also sing together and enjoy group activities that stimulate creativity.

DANCE/MOVEMENT CLASSES

Creative Movement I (ages 3-4) - This 45 minute class geared for pre-schoolers is a fun, creative, and engaging introduction to the world of movement. Your child will get to explore the possibilities of movement through imagination and make believe within a stimulating and structured environment.

Creative Movement II (ages 4-5) - This first one-hour class expands upon the creative and imaginative exploration of movement introduced in Creative Movement I with a focus on mastering locomotion skills.

**Placement of four year olds is made after discussion with parents and occasionally after a trial class.

Modern I (ages 5-6) - Introduces young dancers to a structured dance class. Focus is on exploration of spatial relationships, dance positions and terminology, rhythm and locomotive movements. It also includes a basic understanding of "dance making" and memory and repetition exercises. The atmosphere of the class is joy, fun, and individual expression.

Modern II (ages 6-8) - A one hour and 15 minute class that emphasizes finding one's "center" through placement both standing/sitting and in space. Attention is paid to rhythmic sequences, musicality, and more formalized use of dance movements, specifically the feet and legs. Students explore the use of music in solos, duets, trios and larger groups and develop a language to talk about one another's dance compositions that explore dynamics, intention and theme.

Modern III (ages 8-11) - A basic knowledge of how to "be" in a dance class is expected of this age group. Technically, this class will emphasize dance positions, leg and foot work, centering, balance, strength, stretch, and alignment. An introduction to more intricate phrases, turns, leaps as well as exploring space multi-dimensionally (i.e. upside down, backwards, etc.). Creatively, emphasis will be placed on the differences and dynamic knowledge of each student.

Modern IV (ages 9-12) - This class is designed for students who have completed Modern III or the equivalent.  In addition to formal technique, emphasis is placed on the use of time, shape, space, motion, musicality and dynamics. More advanced phrases and combinations of movements will be taught.

** Modern II, III and IV overlap in age depending on student's experience and interest level

Ballet I (ages 8-12) and Ballet II (12 and up) - These classes offer a holistic approach to ballet fundamentals, ritual and structure. They include understanding of body alignment, vocabulary, barre exercises and across the floor and center movements such as petit allegro and adagio. Focus on the development of musical and rhythmic awareness is also incorporated. These classes embrace the creativity and individuality of each student, a departure from traditional ballet and a quality unique to BAX's teaching philosophy. The classes are for students who are new to ballet and those with a basic foundation.

Tumbling (ages 4-6) - This class supports fundamental motor skills and challenges students in their beginning stages of development, using exercises from yoga to gymnastics. Students will learn to roll backwards and forwards, do logrolls, somersaults, headstands and handstands, and learn the basics of balancing while encouraging body strength.

Tumbling II (ages 7-9) - In Tumbling II, the world will be turned topsy-turvy and upside-down. Through yoga, gymnastics, and acrobatic techniques, students will support their own weight in new ways with handstands, headstands and armstands; explore balances and lifts alone and with partners; and learn tumbling sequences of rolling and flipping. This class will not only build strength and flexibility, but will also build self-confidence as students explore the boundaries of what they think their bodies are capable of.

Boys' Movement (ages 5-9) - Offered to capitalize on the student's energy, imagination, and interests, this class explores many different dance and movement forms (modern dance, yoga, dramatics, as well as sports moves) with special emphasis on rhythmic and spatial awareness.

Hip-Hop Dance (ages 8-12) - This class combines energy, rhythm and originality with contemporary urban dance techniques that explores the newest funky patterns and variations. Students will learn combinations that are challenging and fun as well as create there own. Age-appropriate hip-hop and pop music used.

Teen Funk Fusion (ages 11-16) This class is the perfect fusion of styles, incorporating jazz roots into a melting pot of hip hop, break, popping and locking, along with other contemporary dance genres. This gives students the chance to learn and develop great dance moves. Each class includes a thorough warm-up and learning/creating a dance routine. The music is fresh, the pace is fast, and the style is funky! No previous dance experience is required.

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THEATER/ACTING

Creative Dramatics (ages 5-8) - This class is a fun yet challenging process of learning-through-experience which builds skills and draws upon listening, responding, creativity, problem-solving, risk taking, and group awareness. Each class will consist of simple physical and vocal warm ups, improvisation, theatre games, and short scenes.  We will explore the use of costumes and props, and dramatize stories from favorite books.

Creative Dramatics INCLUSION (ages 6-10) - Using theater technique to build social skills, self-esteem and clear communication, Creative Dramatics INCLUSION will consist of simple physical and vocal warm ups, improvisation, theatre games, and short scenes. Students will explore the use of costumes and props, and dramatize stories from favorite books. The class is open to children both with and without mild social and emotional delays, sensory challenges and mild to moderate physical disabilities.

Physical Comedy (ages 7-10) - This class explores theatrical comedy to reveal the clown within. Emphasis is on physical characterization, comedic timing and special skills like miming, fake falls, tumbling, counterbalance, lifts, mounts, and partner activities as well as stunts on and around chairs and tables.

Theater I (ages 7-10) - Students will build basic theater skills through creative theater games and improvisations; they will learn what a 'character' is, how to use their body and voice to create characters for the stage, how a scene develops, basic knowledge of stage directions and blocking, and be introduced writing some original material.

Theater II (ages 9-12) - Students will deepen vocal, movement and improvisational skills through a series of structured exercises that emphasize proper vocal technique, stage movement, blocking and creative thinking within a scene. Students will be challenged to expand their acting vocabulary by participating in selected scenes as well as creating scenes of their own. Monologues, dialogues and ensemble work, as well as concepts such as conflict, motivation, and the arc of dramatic sequence will be explored.

Teen Acting (ages 11-16) - This class will include monologue study, zany theater games, ensemble work and improvisation- the art of acting with no script. Students will learn vocal and movement techniques while getting to know more about themselves and having fun.

PERFORMANCE WORKSHOPS AND BAXco YOUTH DANCE COMPANY

Student admission to performance workshops and BAXco will be evaluated based on ability, commitment, potential and progress.

Dance Performance Workshop Level I (ages 9 & up) - This workshop is designed for students who have completed Modern IV or the equivalent. This program intensifies training in technique and improvisation and begins the process of building a company of young artists. In addition to formal technique, emphasis is placed on the performance quality and heightened awareness of dynamic phrasing. Students will learn more advanced phrases and combinations of movement complimented by advanced improvisational techniques.

Dance Performance Workshop Level II (ages 12-15) - This level is for students with at least four years of training or the equivalent. Meeting two times per week, students at this level participate in a workshop class which focuses on composition/choreography, improvisation and performance. Emphasis is placed on the student's own creative work focusing on breaking new ground and mastering concepts during workshop sessions. A rigorous and dynamic two hour technique class is also taken once a week. This class is taught by the director of this level as well as professional dancers/guest teachers working in the contemporary dance community. The students' creative work will be presented in a shared concert at the end of the season.

Dance Performance Workshop Level III (ages 13 & up) - For advanced and committed dancers with at least four or more years of training and extensive performance experience, this level functions as a pre-professional experience. This advanced workshop offers a high level of technical and improvisational study in contemporary dance with a strong emphasis on performance skills and composition, encouraging students to rise beyond their technique alone to become well-rounded dancers, dance-makers and dance community members. Through instruction from faculty and guest teachers active in the New York City contemporary dance community, students are able to better understand their place in the dance community at large and what to expect beyond BAX's doors in a challenging yet nurturing environment. Throughout the year, DPW III students participate in master classes, exchanges with other teenage performance groups, many performance opportunities and a year-end concert featuring student choreography. This level meets twice a week which includes a three hour workshop and an advanced modern technique class.

Theater Performance Workshop I (ages 10 & up) - In this workshop, students begin the process of creating theater work, working as a two- to ten-person ensemble through improvisation, and working with a script. They also begin to build stamina for maintaining a character on stage, and collaborate with other students in directing and writing.

Theater Performance Workshop II (ages 13 & up) - This Workshop provides an intensive setting for teenagers to explore within the context of ensemble and collaboration various dramatic methods and forms for creating live theater. The emphasis is on learning and then drawing from existing theatrical skills to develop and express individual voices for the contemporary stage. The director will work with the students to create characters through presence, gesture, voice and movement. Works-in-progress and full productions are performed throughout the year at the Brooklyn Arts Exchange Theater and various venues in the New York area. Students are challenged to think critically and to create pieces that address the concerns of their community. A six-week intensive will be held on Saturdays in the Spring to create and rehearse a piece to be performed in TPW's year-end concert. Students also attend professional performances at BAX, followed by a facilitated dialogue to get exposure to other styles and levels of work. These additional experiences allow the students to expand their understanding of their craft and link their learning to wider contexts.

BAXco BAX's youth dance company is comprised of Level II and III Dance Performance Workshop students who have been invited to participate. BAXco is a repertory company that performs work by professional choreographers, both guest and faculty, and serves as a pre-professional model for young dancers wishing to expand their experiences in the dance community. Directed by long time BAX faculty member, Shannon Hummel, BAXco will perform throughout NYC and beyond. Company class and rehearsals are held on Saturdays from 11:30-2:30 PM.

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Photos on this page:
Daughter & Dad (photo: BAX Staff)
Marching (photo: Carolina Kroon)
Modern IV (photo: BAX Staff)
Boys project (photo: Carolina Kroon)
YPPW perform at BAX's Tenth Anniversary Gala (photo: Carolina Kroon)
Theater class (photo: BAX Staff)